In poll-mode, Hooda announces incentives

Gohana (Haryana) – Virtually getting into election mode for next year’s Lok Sabha and the subsequent assembly polls in the state, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda Sunday announced a number of incentives for people at the “Haryana Shakti rally” organised here to mark the completion of his four years in office.

Hooda announced that over 65,000 posts lying vacant in various government departments shall be filled within one year and given to unemployed youth.

He also announced that the backlog of over 15,000 posts for Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes will also be filled within one year.

The chief minister said the minimum wage for workers in the state would be increased to Rs.8,100 per month from the existing Rs.5,342 per month.

He announced insurance and compensation policy for farmers, farm labour and factory workers in case of death or disability.

Hooda said basic amenities will be provided by the government even in unauthorised colonies in towns and cities.

School-going girls will not have to pay for travelling in state-run buses to their educational institutions, Hooda said.

He said 50 percent of the loan taken from cooperative banks by farmers will be waived if they opt for one-time settlement.

The chief minister said that pending the report of the Seventh pay commission, employees in Haryana will be given an interim relief of Rs.2,000 per month.

Hooda said officers in the state would be made accountable under a new law.

“Our government has ensured best price for sugarcane, keeping in mind the interests of farmers. The minimum support price (MSP) for wheat and paddy has also been increased by the central government. Haryana was the first state to implement the Food Security scheme,” Hooda said.

Lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Hooda said the BJP was unable to decide with whom it should form an alliance in Haryana for the elections.

He said the BJP was hobnobbing with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC).

Hooda, who completed four years in office during this term on Oct 25, said the state had seen all-round development in the past nearly nine years when he has remained chief minister.

Hooda became chief minister for the first term in March 2005.

Addressing the rally, All-India Congress Committee general secretary and party in-charge for Haryana, Shakeel Ahmed, said the popularity of the Hooda-led Congress government was clearly reflected in the lakhs of people who had turned up for the rally here Sunday.

“The Congress will form the next government in Haryana next year and see further development,” Ahmed said.

Haryana Congress president Phool Chand Mullana said the state Haryana had seen “unprecedented development” after Hooda became chief minister in 2005.

Hooda had later opted for early assembly elections in October 2009. There were still six months to go when he went for early polls.

The Congress returned to power in the state by roping in independent legislators as it failed to get a clear majority in the assembly.

Haryana’s 90-member assembly is scheduled to go to the polls in October next year.